Osage with prairie rattlers and blesbok

[Kidder]

So I just wrapped up my first successful stave bow. It’s Osage I got in a trade with backwoodsguy. This bow was really tricky from the beginning. It was narrowest and thinnest in the middle, so I had less to work with than it appeared unless I was willing to cut it in half and flip it, which I wanted to avoid. It also had more character than I was ready for - a limb sticking out that I placed in the fade, a few pin knots, and a big snake and twist with substantial deflex. I also had to deal with some wind checks that I filled with CA and did a sinew wrap on. I had to laminate a handle on, do some minor alignment corrections, and reflexed both limbs about 1.5 inches. After shooting it in they returned to almost exactly where they were before reflexing them. I finished it with prairie rattler skins, a thread wrap and border, and blesbok hair on leather for the strike plate/rest that I took in South Africa in 2013. Tip overlays are buffalo horn. Dimensions are 66 ntn, 1 3/8 inches wide, 47lbs at 26 inches. Thanks for looking.
Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr
Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

Untitled by B Kidd, on Flickr

[Allyn T]

I think you did a bang up job : )

[M2A]

Congrats! Bet it's a smooth shooter with that deflex. Sure do like those skins on that osage.
Mike

[PaSteve]

That's a sweet looking bow. Congratulations on your first stave bow. You did a great job.

[bentstick54]

Good looking bow. You did great with a challenging stave. Love the finished look with snake skins.

[Deerhunter21]

Congrats! that looks like a really sweet bow!

[Kidder]

Thanks guys. It is a smooth shooter. And BLAZING fast. In fact I shot it through my chronograph just this morning. Same result every shot - 207.01 FPS. It’s probably the fastest wood bow ever recorded. See the picture for proof. If anyone needs one of my custom chrony’s I’ve got the hookup.

[Digital Caveman]

I already built one, and my new bow made out of transparent osage and clarified calfskin shot about 60 FPS faster.  I'll post photos tomorrow. 

[Jakesnyder]

Yea ill take one kidder. Can you make mine say 210.20 fps

[Kidder]

Yea ill take one kidder. Can you make mine say 210.20 fps

Boy I don’t know...you’ll have to make sure you have a super fast bow...maybe it’ll read “lightning fast” instead of “blazing”.

[Will B]

Nice looking bow. Love the snakeskins. Well done!